training context to explain it better. Say you have to suddenly move.
You don’t want to move, nor does your child, but you have to move
next week. You can’t change that. You can only move forward and do
your best with the resulting behavior. With this child and potty
training, you want to take that same approach. You have to know that
continuing diapers potentially could lead to even more trouble down
the road. This is the new way. Period.
The “Clueless” Child
This child shows no indication of knowing what the hell you are
talking about when you say “potty.” Assuming there are no emotional
or developmental delays, the truly “clueless” child is probably too
young (which isn’t to say it can’t be done, just that it will just take
longer). Remember, the truly “clueless” will pee as she is walking, slip
on the pee, and still not know what the hell just happened. The flip
side of the “clueless and too young” child is the “clueless and too old”
child. If your child is over three years of age and appears to be
“clueless,” she is pretending. She is under the impression that if she
ignores potty training, it will go away.
If your child is younger than twenty-two months and shows
absolutely no indication that she knows what’s happening, you might
want to try again in a month or two. Be careful though. Make sure
this isn’t just an excuse on your part. Make sure there’s really no
indication; she’s truly “clueless.” Go back to chapter 2, “When to
Start,” and review the “markers” that I discussed. If your child shows
even the slightest indication that she knows what’s happening, you